7/28/2014 Council of Architecture :: Consultancy Practice

http://www.coa.gov.in/school/inst_prac.htm 1/2
Institutional Consultancy Practice
Preface Introduction General Institutional Consultancy Practice Individual Consultancy Practice
PREFACE
The Council of Architecture, whilst formulating the Regulations on Minimum Standards for undergraduate
architectural education has emphasized that institutions imparting architectural education shall encourage faculty
members to involve in professional practice, including research. The concept and practice of Architecture, today, is
far different from that of the Twenties and Thirties. The practice now is concerned with the whole activity of
designing a Complex, man-made environment, especially in the urban areas. Many new factors,including the
advances that science and technology is making, call for immediate attention by the profession. Architectural
education will have to be broader and more encompassing, and the faculty and the teaching institutions have to
keep themselves abreast of the latest techniques and development.
It is this context that the Council of Architecture has evolved Guidelines for Consultancy Practice by the faculty
members of the schools of archtecture. Institutions imparting architectural education must encourage faculty
members to be involved in professional practice which would enrich the experience and knowledge of the faculty
members and, in turn, upgrade the level/quality of teaching, training and research programmes. The Heads of the
institutions must ensure that the faculty members do not, directly or indirectly, compromise their responsibility to
the students and that the consultancy practice would not interfere with the faculty member's normal and primary
duties to the students and other activities of the institution. The Consultancy practice permitted to the faculty must
be consistent with the guidelines.
INTRODUCTION
The primary commitments of a faculty member are towards the students, teaching/research and other activities of
the institution. It is a recognised fact that in the modern fast changing world with techniques of construction,
planning/architecture concepts continuously going through a process of re-evaluation and change, the faculty and
the institutions have to keep themselves abreast of the latest activities and developments. This can only be
achieved with opportunities to the faculty members who involve in professional consultancy practice. Such a
consultancy practice has also other advantages like:
1. The contact with the profession and industry enriches experience and knowledge of the faculty members in
the professional spheres that upgrade the level quality of teaching, training and research programmes.
2. The faculty members have also opportunities for implementing their ideas under actual live conditions.
3. The contact with live teachers and actual projects would enable the students to perceive properly and
relevant to the curriculum.
4. The students will thereby be trained at a much higher level by technological efficiency and latest techniques
and research inputs resulting in their immediate absorption in employment after completion of their studies
with greater confidence and the professional challenges.
With this in view it is recommended that the institutions may permit faculty members to engage themselves either
in institutional consultancy practice or individual consultancy practice on the following guidelines.
GENERAL
1. The faculty members may be permitted to engage in private consultancy practice without detriment to their normal
and primary duties to the students, research/training and other activities of the institution, either individually or in
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groups or in association with individuals or with established firms on a fee or retainer basis.
2. The faculty members shall not be entitled for any concession for engaging themselves in private consultancy
practice.
3. The faculty members shall impart to the students the knowledge and experience gained in private consultancy
practice and may also impart professional training to the students.
4. The faculty members shall not be entitled to any non-practising allowance whether engaged in consultancy practice
or not.
5. The faculty members shall engage in consultancy practice at their own risk and the institution shall not be held
resposible legally or otherwise arising out of such consultancy practice.
6. The faculty members may be required to carry out architectural and other related works of the institutions as and
when assigned, on payment of fees.
7. The faculty members shall be required to submit at the end of every financial year, a statement indicating therein
the income eamed from private consultancy practice that has been indicated in the income tax return filed and duly
certified by a Chartered Accountant.
8. The funds form the Research, Development and Staff Welfare Fund shall be utilised only for welfare programmes,
research and development activities.
INSTITUTIONAL CONSULTANCY PRACTICE
1. The institutional consultancy practice may be undertaken through a Consultancy Cell established in the institution.
2. The Institutional Consultancy Cell may manage its affairs through a committee of faculty members and the
authorities of the institution, duly authorised to initiate and conclude negotiations for jobs and other details like
nature of job, fees, responsibilities etc.
3. The Consultancy Cell Committee, may, assign the job to faculty members individually or in groups.
4. The Consultancy Cell may make use of institution facilities with supporting infrastructure of its own.
5. The faculty members entrusted with the jobs may appoint a group leader for entering into agreement with clients on
behalf of the Consultancy Cell and also to engage specialist consultants, as and when required, and to negotiate
the fees thereof with the Consultancy Cell Committee's approval.
6. The Consultancy Cell shall contribute a portion of the fees not exceeding 10%, to the Research, Development and
Staff Welfare Fund:
Provided further, that another 10% of the fees shall be placed at the disposal of the Consultancy Cell Committee to
defray expenditure for its activities.
The remaining 80% of the fees shall be utilised for expenditure and for payment of honorarium to faculty members.
7. The faculty members shall submit progress reports to the Consultancy Cell periodically for review.
8. The Consultancy Cell Committee shall submit reports annually to the authorities of the institution.
9. The Consultancy Cell shall manage all its receipts and payments.
INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANCY PRACTICE
1. The faculty members shall keep the institution informed of each consultancy project to be undertaken seeking prior
approval within a reasonable period of time: Provided, if, in the opinion of the institution, the primary teaching duties
of the faculty members are likely to be adversely affected by the quantum and nature of work, the reasons shall be
communicated to the faculty members to satisfy the institution before actual engagement.
2. The faculty members in individual consltancy practice, shall contribute 30% of the net income from such
consultancy practice as declared in the income tax return each year, to the Research Development and Staff
Welfare Fund or 6% of the gross receipts from such consultancy practice in a given year, duly certified by a
Chartered Accountant.
3. The net income from individual consultacy practice of faculty members shall not exceed the gross emoluments
received annually from the institution in a year.
4. The faculty members may not use any of the institution facilities provided when institution facilities are made use of
by faculty members, they shall be required to pay the institution on the norms laid down by the institution for the
facilities used.